Bossier Schools has long valued its partnership with Barksdale Air Force Base and as a result of its steadfast commitment to “Keep the Promise” by supporting military personnel and their families, the Barksdale/Bossier Connection was selected by the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) to receive the 2014 Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award in the category of Exemplary Partnerships.
“Receiving this award directly reflects the power of this partnership and what is attainable when everyone works toward the same goal,” said Bossier Schools Superintendent D.C. Machen. “The ultimate reward is the positive effect the Barksdale/Bossier Connection has on those that matter most; the children entrusted in our care. We will continue our pledge to ‘Keep the Promise’ to our military families in an effort to make a positive impact in their lives and the Bossier community.”
This annual award, announced yesterday by MCEC at its 16th National Training Seminar in Washington D.C., recognizes partnerships formed between military installations and school districts around the world that serve military-connected children. One of the many examples of this partnership is the cooperative effort in June 2012 to secure a Military Student Transition Consultant to address the transitional and educational issues affecting military children in Bossier Schools.
Barksdale/Bossier Connection partners accepting the Exemplary Partnership award in Washington D.C. are Barksdale Air Force Base; Barksdale Forward; Bossier Parish Schools; Bossier Chamber of Commerce; Cyber Innovation Center; Greater Bossier Economic Development Foundation and the Military Affairs Council.
Also recognized at the ceremony were Fort Polk Progress, the Vernon Parish School District, Fort Polk and other partners for the group’s Education Initiative, which was awarded the 2014 Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award in the category of Outstanding Partnerships.
Two state partnerships winning these coveted national awards from MCEC is significant, underscoring the value Northwest and Central Louisiana place on the military and the strong support our communities provide to military-connected families.
The Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award recognizes the work of former MCEC Chairman Lieutenant General (Ret.) Pete Taylor in assisting the highly mobile military child. The award is designed to foster the sharing of lessons learned and to recognize the long-held belief of General Taylor that “goodness starts at the local level.”
Founded in 1998, the Military Child Education Coalition® (MCEC®) is a 501(c)(3) global, nonprofit leadership and advocacy organization focused on ensuring quality educational opportunities for America’s two million military-connected children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition. For more information, visit www.MilitaryChild.org.
